Door lock



Sept. 19, 1939. C. o. POTTEFQ DOOR LOCK Filed Jan. 50, 1939 a 4 WNW 5 65 0 ,7 5 7 9 4 11 D a w a I w 4 M 3 a n a x w 5 z u m w% a. H F uuuuutmama Sept, 19, 1 939 UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE noon LOCK Charles 0.Potter, Fullerton, Calif. Application January :0, 1939, Serial No.253,649

7 Claims. (01. 70-153 This invention relates to door locks and moreparticularly'to an improved door lock adapted for use with a motorvehicle door.

An object of this invention is to provide a door lock embodying the useof a gear rack and pinion and means for selectively holding the pinionagainst rotation. v

Another object of this invention is to provide a lockof this kind whichmay be acted upon by three different elements at points remote from thelock mechanism proper.

Afurther object of this invention is to provide a lock of this kindwhich is relatively simplein construction so that it willvnot get out oforder. To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear,the invention consists of the novel construction,- combination andarrangement of parts as will be more' speciilcaliy described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be understood that changes,

variations and'modiflcations may be resorted to which fall within thescope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a door having a lockconstructed according to this invention mounted therein, a

Figure'2 is a fragmentary'horizontal section through the doorand doorframe,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-36! Figure,2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure3', and I Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional-view. taken on the line5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the character D designates a hollow ormetal'door structure which is connected to a door frame F. In the presentinstance, the door D and the frame F are associated with a vehicle. Theframe F on the inner edge thereof is provided with atoothedrack orkeeper In which is secured to the inner edge of the frame F by means ofi'astening devices l3. Preferably the rack III is disposed insubstantially horizontal position and the adjacent wall H of the door Dis spaced from the adjacent wall l2 of the frame F so as to providesufllcient space between the two walls H and |2-to permit the rack illto be positioned therebetween.

A rotatable pinion 0'! bolt member I4 is rotatably mounted on a shaft I!carried by the door D and a portion of the pinion .or gear l4 projectsthrough an opening I provided in the on a pin or shaft 32 carried by thehousing 29 member i4 may freely rotate in either direction.

-in Figure 2, but it will be understood, if desired,

that the door D may be maintained in a partly open position with thepinion l4 engaging a se- 6 lected one of the outermost teeth of the rackl0.

A door handle I! is positioned on the outer side of the door D and isfixedly mounted on a stem or shaft |-8 which is secured to a shaft l9extending inwardly through the. front wall of the door D. A spring 2| issecured atone end to the wall 20 of the door and at the other end to theshaft I9 and normally providesa bias to maintain the handle H in asubstantially horizontal The stub shaft i9 is provided on the peripherythereof with a spiral key which is adapted to engage in a spiral groove26 provided in a slide block.2'|'. The block 21 slidably engages thebottom wall 28 of a housing 29 and the block 2l is provided on one sidethereof with a laterally projecting lugor arm 30.

A spring pressed pawl 3| is rotatably mounted and the bill of the pawlmember 3| is adapted to engage the pinion or gear member i4 so as to,hold' this gear member i4 against rotation inone direction when thepawl 3| is in operative position. A pawl releasing bar 33 is mountedwithin the housing 29 and is provided with an elongated slot 34 withinwhich a pin 35 carried by the-pawl member 3| slidably engages. 'The bar33 is provided with an elongated extension 36 which engages through thelug 30 and is secured by means of a pin 31. In this-manner, outwardmovement of theblock ZTWHI' pull the pawl member 3| to a releasedposition so that the gear The pawl member 3| is yieldably held inoperative position by means of a spring 38 whichis mounted on a pin 33carried by a bell crank 40. The bell crank 40 is rockably mounted .on apin or shaft) extending through the bottom wall 28 of the housing 29,andthe bell crank 40 has a pin 42 which slidably engages in a slot 43carried by one end ofan elongated crank operating rod or bar 44. Thebell crank 40 is providedwith an extension having a pin 46 which 5 isslidable in the slot 34 and normally engages in the slot 34' at the endopposite from the pin 35.

The bar 44 is slidable in a guide member 41 which is carried by theinner wall 48 of the door D and a spring 49 engages at one end againstthe lug 41 and'at the other and against a collar or flange 50 carried bythe bar 44 so as to normally hold the bell crank 40 in a position'withthe pin 46 at the outer end of the slot 34-. A second or inner handle 5|is mounted on a shaft or stem 52 and the shaft 52 extends through theinner wall 48-. and a wall 53 carried by. a cylindrical housing 54. Thehousing 54 is provided with an opening 55 through which an extension 56pivotally carried by the inner end of the bar' 44 is adapted to engage.The cylindrical housing' 54 is adapted to befixed relative to the innerwall 48 and a plate or disc 51 is mounted within the housing 54 and issecured to the inner end of the shaft or stem 52.' The extension 58 isprovided within the housing 54 with a laterally projecting lug ortrunnion 58 which is rotatably mounted in an opening 59 within the plate51 so that rotation of the plate 51 will rock the extension 58 andlikewise move the bar 44 longitudinally of the door D. A locking member58 is slidable through the inner wall 6| of the housing 54 and isconstantly urged inwardly by a spring 62. The locking member 88 isadapted to yieldably hold the extension 58 against rotation when theextension56 is in the position shown in Figure 2 so as to lock the bellcrank 48 against rock-.. ing movement. against rocking movement movementto a released position.

A pawl locking bolt 83 is carried by an elongated rod 64 which isslidable through the wall 18 of the housing 28 and slidably engages alug or extension 65 carried by the pawl operating bar 44. The inner wall48 of the door D is also provided with a guide member 66 through whichthe rod 84-slidably engages. A spring 81 is disposed about the rod 64and at one end engages against the lug 58 and at the other end against acollar 88 which is fixed to the rod 64 and normally urges the bolt 83 toa released position. The bar 64 is also provided with a head or collar89 adjacent the inner end thereof and the lug or extension 65 isslidable between the collar 68 and the collar or head 59. The collar 88is so positioned on the rod 64 that when the bar 44 moves toward theleft, as viewed in Figure 2, the lock bolt 63 will also be moved to theleft or to a pawl locking position against the tension of the spring 81.In this locking position, the bar 44 is held against movement to theright by means of the locking member 60 which engages the extension 56.

In order to provide a means whereby the pawl member 3| may be lockedfrom the exterior of the door D, I have provided a key operated lockingmeans which includes a key operating mechanism H which is secured to thefront wall 28 of the door and includes a keyhole 12 of suitableconfiguration through which a key is adapted to be projected foroperating the mechanism H. A shaft 13 is connected to the mechanism Hand is adapted to be rotated upon the rotation of the mechanism H bymeans of a key and a gear or pinion 14 is secured to the inner end ofthe shaft 13. A second gear or pinion l5 meshes with the gear-14 and isrotatably carried by a, bearing 16 securing to the inner wall 48 of thedoor. An arm ornotched member I1 is fixed'to the pinion or Lockingof'the .bell crank 48 in one direction will likewise lock the pawlmember 3| against rocking gearf|5 and is adapted to be swung upwardlyupon rotation of the gear I5 in one direction so as to engage a latchingdevice. The latching device comprises a plate member 18 provided with anelongated slot 18 through which a pin engages. The pin 80 is fixed tothe inner wall 48 of the door D and-a rockable latching plate 8| ismounted on the pin or shaft 88. The rockable latching plate 8| is springpressed by means of a spring 82 being biased to a lowermost positiorrbymeans of the spring 82. The sliding plate "is provided with a forwardlyprojecting lug 83 which is loosely positioned in a substantiallyU-shaped slot 84 provided in the rockable latching plate 8 I. Anupwardlyprojecting fork .85 is fixed to the sliding plate 18 and projectsupwardly through a slot 88 provided in the bottom wall 28 of the housing29. The fork 85 engages about the rod 84 closely adjacent the inner endof the bolt 83 so that movement of the sliding plate I8 to the left, asviewed in Figure 3, will movethe bolt 63 to a locking position.

The sliding plate I8 is provided with a substantially v-shaped cut-out81 in the lower edge thereof within which one notch 88 of the lug I1 isadapted to. engage. The lower edge of the latching plate 8| is providedwith an arcuate portion 89 with which the notched portion-98 of the lugTI is adapted to engage. The lug 11 when in released position engagesagainst a stop member 8| and when in locked position engages against astop member 82 which is secured to the inner wall 48 of the.door D onthey side'of the pinion 1 opposite from the stopmember 8|.

In the use and operation of this door look when it is desired to openthe door from the outside,

the handle I] is rocked downwardly. This downward rocking of the handleI] will pull the block 21 outwardly and at the same time rock the pawlmember 3| to a released position. The'pln35 carried by the pawl member3| at this time is positioned at the inner end of the slot 34 carried bythe plate '33. The door D may then be freely swung to an open position.The door may be swung to'. a closed'position with the handle I! ineithera downwardly inclined position with the pawl 3| released from thepinion H or, if desired;

the handle l1 may be positioned as shown in Figure ,1, which isa'horizontal position. with the handle H in a horizontal position whenthe door is closed, the pinion M will rotate upon engagement with thegear rack l0, and the pawl 3| will yield'ably ride over theteeth of thepinion or ratchet l4.

In the event it is desired to lock the door D from the outside, a key isinserted in the keyhole l2 and the shaft vl3 then rotated in a clockwisedirection. This will rotate the gear I5 in a counter-clockwise directionand swing the lug or arm 11 through an arc which will initially rock thelatch plate 8| upwardly until the lug member 83 is at the lower or bightportion of the U- shaped slot 84. In this position, the continuedrotation or swinging of the lug 'I'I will cause the sliding plate I8 tobe moved to the left due to the engagement of the notch 88 with theforward edge of the V-shaped opening or recess 81. Forward movement,ormovement to the left of the plate I8, will movethe fork 85 to theleft, as

viewed in Figure 3, which will move the locking bolt 63 forwardly or tothe left in a position where notch 84. In this position, the slidingplate is .63 is held in the locked 82 will swing the latch plate 8|downwardly so that the lug 88 will be in the forward leg of the lockedagainstsliding movement and the bolt position against the tension of thespring '61.

Injthe event it is desired to lock'the pawl member 3| from inside of thedoor, the handle 5| may be rocked upwardly so asto move the locking bar44 to the left as viewed in Figure 3. Movement to the left of thelocking bar 44 will bring the lug 65into' engagement with the collar 68so as to thereby slide the bolt or bar' 64 to the left and at the sametime slide the locking bolt 63 to a locked position. The bar, is heldin-a locked position when the extension 56 engages be neath the springpressed holding member 60 carried by the housing 54. At thistime, thetrunnion or lateral extension 58 carried by the bar extension 56' issubstantially in a horizontal position as viewed in Figure 3. r

The pawl member 3| may benrocked to a re leased position inside the doorby swinging the handle 5| downwardly so as to draw the bar 44 to theright, as viewed in Figure 3. In the event, the bolt 53 is in a lockedpositionat this time, the lug member 65 will engage the collar 69 so asto forcibly pull the bolt 63 to the right and at the same time thespring 51 will constantly urge the bolt 63 toward a released position.Movement of the bar 44 to the right will rock the bell crank and theextension 45. Rocking of this extension will pull the bar 33 toward theouter wall 20 of the door and thus movable lengthwise relative to saidreleasingv member for shifting said pawl out of normal position on therotation of the said releasing mem- 1 berin one direction and againstthe action of the spring pressure applied to the pawl.

2. A door lock comprising a rotatable pinion constituting'a latchingbolt-adapted for engagement with a keeper, a spring-pressed pawlengaging said pinion and normally holding said pinion against rotationin one direction with respect to the keeper, a slidable-pawl operatorprovided including a part formed with a spiral groove and a linkconnected with the pawl for shifting the latter from normal, and arotatable shaft provided with a key slidably traveling in said groovefor moving said part to a pawl releasing position.

3. A door-lock comprising a rotatable toothed locking bolt adapted forengagement with'a keeper, a spring-pressedpawl engaging said bolt andnormally holding said bolt against rotation in one-direction withrespect to the keeper, a slotted link connected to said pawl, an endwisemovable "er, a spring-pressed pawl member connected to said link, androtatable opcrating means operatlvely connected to said latter memberfor shifting said pawl to released,position. I

4. A door lock comprising a rotatable toothed locking bolt adapted forengagement with a keeper, a spring-pressed pawl engaging said bolt andnormally holding said bolt against rotation in one direction withrespect to the keeper, a slotted link connected to said pawl,.an endwisemovable mem- 1 her connected to said link, a pawl locking membernormally biased to'a released position, rotatable operating meansoperatively connected to said endwise movable member for shifting saidendwise movable member in one direction, and means carried by saidendwise movable member engaging said pawl locking member for shiftingsaid lattermember to a pawl locking position upon pawl to releasedposition upon movement of said 15 movement-of said endwise movablemember in- 20 the opposite direction.

5. A door lock comprising a rotatable toothed v 1' locking bolt adaptedfor engagement with a keepengaging said bolt and normally holding saidbolt against rotation in one direction with respect to the keeper, meansfor releasing the pawl from normal position, a springpressed pawllocking member normally disposed in released position, a key actuatedslide member, and afork carried by said slide member engage able withsaid pawl locking member upon movef ment of said 5-416 member in onedirection for shifting said pawl locking member to a locking position.

" 6. A door lock comprisinga rotatable toothed locking bolt adapted forengagement with a: keeper, a spring-pressed pawl engaging said bolt andnormally holding said bolt against rotation in one direction relative tothe keeper, an elongated slotted bar, means connecting said bar with 4said pawl for moving said pawl. to released posi- ,tion upon movementofsaid bar in one direction, a rotatable operating member, and a. linkpivotally connecting said operating member with said bar whereby to movesaid bar in said one direction to thereby shift said pawl to a releasedposition.

7. A door lock comprising a rotatable toothed locking bolt adapted forengagement with a keeper, a spring-pressed pawl engaging said bolt and50 normally holding said bolt against rotation in one direction relativeto the keeper, an elongated slotted bar, means connecting said bar withsaid pawl for moving said pawl to released position upon movement ofsaid bar in one direction, a 35 rotatable operating member, a linkpivotally connecting said operating member with said bar. whereby tomove said bar in said one direction to thereby shift said pawl to areleased position, a

spring-pressed pawl locking member normally go urged to a releasedposition, means carried by said bar engageable with said locking memberfor shifting said locking member to a pawl looking position, andspring-pressed means engageable with said link for and bar in pawllocking position.

, CHARLES O.PO'II'ER. I

yieldably holding said link 5

